Chapter 4: Playing with your food
Kiaya, Candina and Dillon ran out of the temple and into the surrounding desert area. "This way" Candina said as she motioned toward a sandy cave that seemed to go underground. In the cave Dillon commanded his Ninetails to light torches that had already been set aside in the dark cave. With haste, the five ran deeper into the darkness.
"Where are we going?" Kiaya huffed while the group ran as fast as they could.
"Fayala Village. It's the closest populated area. But to get there we need to cross the desert, the safest and shortest way is through this cave system. It should open up past the desert, in the forest near Fayala." Candina huffed. After running deep into the cave for a long period of time, they did not hear sounds of being followed.
"I don't think they followed us. They must not have figured out we ran in here" Kiaya said as the group slowed to a fast walk.
"Or they are on their way to get us now" Candina countered but still slowed to a walk.
"Well, I'm exhausted. So is Ninetails. Plus we can't run all the way there. It's a two day trip" Dillon said, obviously out of breath. "And.. I mean, the bearer of the stone just went through something pretty traumatic. She is probably hurting" Dillon added in an attempt to coerce Candina.
"Don't worry about me, I feel fine aside from the pain in my heart" Kiaya said with a smile.
"Er.. yeah I'm sorry about all this by the way… D-don't smile at us. We don't deserve it after kidnaping you and… everything else" Dillon said with guilt. Kiaya noticed his face now, he had naturally droopy amber eyes and a small jaw. His framed seemed bulky from what one could tell by a man wrapped in a robe.
"You had to, for the sake of the Kawaru region. I would have done the same thing as you. I understand that my sacrifice is necessary to keep the environment in balance. That's something I have always been willing to sacrifice and fight for and that isn't stopping here" Kiaya said as they walked along, recalling her many fights with her father on the subject and her many efforts to make Diamond springs more ecofriendly. Her past made accepting her fate on these particular terms easier than it might have been on others.
"Psh.. Don't feel so guilty all the time Dillon. She is privileged to bear the stone. She should be thanking us for giving a nobody special something so vital" Candina said, again quickening her pace.
"The hell is wrong with you?" Kiaya retorted, caught off guard by Candina's seemingly blind hatred for her.
"The hell is wrong with me? You really want to know Miss flabby ass?" Candina said stopping in her tracks.
"Flabby ass? Hey, my butt is far from flabby!" Kiaya said stopping too, her face red from embarrassment, recalling Candina saw her undress in the temple washroom.
"I think it looks like a perfectly nice ass… a very nice ass" Dillon commented as if he didn't realize he was speaking out loud. Both Kiaya and Candina shift their gaze from each other to Dillon. "Uh.. wha- I mean, I um, I said respect the stone host. I, yes that is what I said." Dillon stammered. Just then Kiaya noticed a figure out of the corner of her eye and her face grew wary. Candina saw it too because her expression had changed drastically. Dillon however was busy reciting a list of words that sounded like ass, which he could have possibly said instead.
"A nice pass. I mean, no I said a nice glass, yes that one. Glass. Not sexual." Dillon continued. Kiaya and Candina turned to face the figure, staring back at them with a devilish grin and bright wolf like eyes.
"Why, hello there" said the figure as he emerged from the shadows, his eyes looking upon them greedily, light green hair adorning his face. It was a man, likely in his mid-twenties with a strong, angular jaw and mocking, yellow green eyes. He neared the group and Dillon who finally realized the situation ordered his Ninetails to stand in front of Kiaya for protection. "Oh, giving me my answer so soon boy? You can die the quickest as a reward, how about that?" he laughed.
"You are an idiot Dillon" Candina said before ordering chandelure to also protect Kiaya too.
"Yes, you made it quite obvious that the horribly pretty one holds the stone" said the amber eyed man as he bit his lip and examined Kiaya.
"Get the hell away from me creep!" Kiaya growled at him, like a warning sound. The sound seemed to bring the man pleasure. Kiaya's personal space had already been violated one too many times as of late. The idea that it could be violated again caused her great stress, like a cornered animal.
"Don't worry Kiaya, he's alone and doesn't seem to have any pokemon with him. Ninetails and chandelure can handle this. Ninetails, fire blast!" Dillion called. From the shadows emerged several people with team gemstone uniforms on. They called forth their pokemon and crushed ninetails and chandelure due to pure out numbering. The two pokemon lay badly hurt on the cave floor. Candina called back her chandelure into its pokeball and Dillon ran up to his ninetails, embracing the creature with sorrow deep in his droopy eyes. The green eyed man seemed to look away at this.
"You bastard... This was a trap..." Candina said, glaring furiously. Kiaya's gaze burned deeply too, the two women together seemed to exude a demeanor of fire.
"So the ugly one is smart" the green eyed man smirked. Candnia's glare grew deeper. Candina was certainly not an ugly girl. Compared to Kiaya, most women fell short but Candina was also pretty once one got past her haughty attitude. Her sandy blond hair curled and flipped around her face and her bright violet eyes were certainly a nice feature.
"Fu*k you" Candina hissed.
"Yes well, that small group of team gem grunts probably were already taken care of by those old monks. Or for you, let's hope those old geezers were finally taken care of. We have been sending small groups to rustle feathers knowing soon the gem would be sent out for protection. And the fastest way out of this hellacious desert is this dark cave. So we have been waiting here, a truly boring job yes? But here you are a much easier grab that you would have been protected in that temple filled with fire pokemon." The man smirked. The man neared Kiaya, close enough to touch her now. Kiaya stood bravely returning his stare as ferociously as she could. The man showed his teeth at the sight of her blazing eyes.
"I see why you are the one that holds it. It's like fire burns in you" said the man with a hint of fascination. "Alas, though, you will die too. Men, bring the other two out to the desert and kill them. I don't want their bodies to stink up the place because we will need to camp here tonight. said their leader.
"No! You can't!" Kiaya roared, throwing a punch at the leader. The man caught it and smiled, entertained by the effort. He held her fist as he looked at her.
"Oh yes, I can. Say good bye to the ugly thing and the idiot. I'm certain you can all met up in hell later" The leader responded as he forcibly held her fist, pulling her nearer before forcing her arms behind her and cuffing them together. Kiaya fought him as hard as she could but couldn't break free.
"Kiaya! Save Ninetails! Please! She is my best friend!" Dillon sobbed as the team gemstone members dragged him away from his Ninetails. He was obviously unable to retrieve its poke ball from his pocket due to the man handling. Ninetails lay there unconscious and badly hurt. Candina was dragged away too, kicking and screaming. Once they left other team gemstone members went about setting up camp.
"You see to it that Ninetails gets healed then put it in a cage until we recover its poke ball" said the leader to one of the Team gemstone grunts.
"Yes sir, Admin Kane" the grunt replied before hurrying off with the Ninetails.
"Now it's my personal pleasure to find out where exactly you are hiding the stone.. muhaha, so do I get to find out the fun way, or are you just going to me a good girl and tell me?" said Kane as his green demon eyes sparked at Kiaya, not far from her face.
Kiaya frowned furiously, unable to hid her shaking at the notion of what might be about to happen. "I cannot tell him what happened. He might think he can still cut the stone out of my heart and if we are one that might only just kill the stone too… Urgh! I can't let that happen, but… I don't know what to do!" Kiaya thought, remaining quiet.
"Ouch Vixen, you burn me with that look. But, to make up for it you have chosen the fun way, yes? How nice of you" Kane said grabbing the cuffs around her arms and drawing her so close to him that she could feel his breath on her neck. Greedily his hands searched her body as Kiaya bit down on her lip and her nails dug into her own hands. His searching strangely cold hands ran along her fresh warm markings and through all her robe pockets. His arms glided along her arms and across her chest. He grabbed there forcefully and pressed himself against her from behind. "Tell me where" he growled into her ear. The sensation made her find a deep rage that she had never known existed within her. An anger so deep and penetrating that she wanted to not only harm, but kill. She looked at the man with meadow green hair and in her eyes was no longer fear and anxiety, but blood lust.
"You will pay for this" Kiaya uttered, unable to get out any words but those, her anger too consuming to make any more words. All she wanted was blood.
Kane smirked at her in a self-deprecating way. "We all deserve to pay" he whispered before throwing her to the ground. "Where is the stone" Kane asked, no longer with an air of sick amusement but in a cold, dark and emotionless manor. A switch was flipped and he was no longer playing with his food. It was time to get to business.